Chapter 50: Anything But Different


TL: Akabane


***


Hagiri and I stared at each other for a while. Igarashi, who was standing beside me, was startled by my sudden appearance and cringed.


"Tokiwa? Why are you here? You know. I'm not here for anything. Chusho is my childhood friend, so... well..."


She sounded like she was making some kind of excuse. Hagiri coldly said, not allowing Igarashi to continue.


"Riri, please shut up for a minute."


Hagiri shook off my hand. He stands proudly in front of me.


"Why are you here? This is my property, remember? I don't even remember inviting you to this party."


"What? This is your room? Oh...so this is the tower apartment that Milan was talking about..."


So this is where I heard about Roppongi's room in Yagiri. What a coincidence. It's too good to be true, and something about it is terrifying.


"Don't tell me you came here by chance?"


I felt a somewhat puzzled nuance from Hagiri. Don't you suspect I came here by chance? If I were Hagiri, I would dismiss it as an excuse.


"Then what's wrong?"


Hagiri looked down at Igarashi, who was still sitting at the counter, with terribly cold, yet somewhat sad eyes.


"Riri...you really are cursed...you're always like this...totally..."


Letting out a heavy breath of exasperation, Hagiri shakes his head. Igarashi turned her head somewhat awkwardly.


"What are you convinced of all by yourself? Don't ignore me, Hagiri."


"I'd rather ask you to let me ignore you. If possible, I'd prefer it if you'd leave quietly."


"You're kicking me out of a party? Isn't it the place of an organizer to accept one or two uninvited guests?"


I humorously tried to provoke him. There was something strange about Hagiri right now. He looked like he was having fun earlier, but now he looks terribly tired.


"Huh... That's right. Yes. You may be right. But I don't want to see your face. You are a bad ・・・・ person. I wish you were a bad person. If you were a good person, I wouldn't have to worry... I'm tired..."


Hagiri turned his back on us and turned to leave with a leisurely step. I didn't understand what he meant. Normally, he would have said something provocative. There was no tension. Too much lack of it, and that's your fault.


"Hey. Where are you going? Why don't you say something like you usually do?"


"It's no use talking to people who aren't good. You don't change your behavior with my words. But I do. I'll at least leave you a little souvenir to you."


Hagiri looks at me with cold eyes. But unlike usual, there's no dominance.


"Golden week. Me and Riri are going on a trip. Then, Kanahisa Tokiwa. Enjoy the party. Good bye."


With that, Hagiri got off the step floor and left. There is no reason to chase after him and at the same time, I have no motivation to do so. They're going on a trip during Golden Week. The word gave me a terribly bad image. I have not forgotten. Hagiri and Igarashi will start dating after Golden Week. In other words, they will get together on that trip.


"Um! You know! Tokiwa! That's different! The trip!"


Igarashi gets up from her chair, walks over to my side and grabs my arm.


"No. What's the difference? Isn't it a trip? You and him are going on a trip together, right?"


"That's why it's different! Hey! Listen to me! The trip!"


"You two are such good friends that you go on vacations together, but the other night, you went home with me in the morning? That would make your parents angry, right? Haha, that's right."


I wonder what changed after the time leap? We just switched places, didn't we? I'm acting more like the other guy. So we're repeating ourselves after all.


"It's different! It's totally different! Listen to me! It's not true! It's different!"


"Nothing is different!"


I shake Igarashi off of me and step off the step floor.


"Wait! Listen to me! Please! Hey! Wait!"


It was the same in the previous world. In the end, the woman named Ririse will leave my hands. The only difference from before is that Igarashi is somewhat excusable. No! Girls are always different. Even though that herself is wrong, she continues to deceive me by shaking her head. The other night. When she kissed me on the cheek. I was so happy. But now that sweet feeling belongs to someone else.


"Wait. Hey! I'm in heels today! I can't walk that fast! Please! Wait! Please!"


I walk quickly through the party hall. Igarashi was chasing after me. Why is she trying so hard to keep me on the chain? Is it to get the best of me? Was it funny that I was so excited by that childish kiss? But you know what? That's the old me. So.


"Ah! Hollywood-kun! You finally came back! You're awful! I can't believe you left me alone!"


Kirin-san was waving at me. Around her were countless men. Kirin-san and the others were being chirpy with the hot guys. They looked like they were having a good time. Then I came up to them, and the guys looked somewhat uncomfortable. They want her love. That's nice. It's a little more intense than I thought.


"God! You're such a bad man to leave the girl alone! Keep your eyes on the girl and don't let her....oh no! Oh...."


I pull Kirin-san into my arms and kiss her cheek. Then the sound of Igarashi's heels echoing from my back stopped at that moment.


"...Huh? ...Hollywood-kun...? Was that...?"


Kirin-san sounds puzzled. Her cheeks are flushed red and she is embarrassed. I smile and glare at the men around me.


"You guys get lost. This woman is mine. Get lost."


That was enough to intimidate them. I know my atmosphere is scary. They must have been afraid of me. Without a word, they dispersed.


"I'm leave."


"Leave? What? Where are you going?"


"Somewhere more fun than here. Do you understand?"


Kirin-san nodded, looking somewhat smitten. Leaning a little weight on me, she tangled her arms around me.


"Tokiwa...I.... Even though it's different.... I'm not....I said I'm not...."


When I turned around, Igarashi was trembling, holding her mouth with both hands. At that moment, I felt a back-conscious pleasure. Oh, that was it. That must have been the face I had wanted to see in the world before. I quickly turned away from Igarashi. I left the party hall and walked out of the building. I walked under the overpass toward the Tokyo Tower. The street was lined with shady stores. The men I passed looked at Kirin-san and gave me envious glances. I am no longer the poor, unattractive guy from the previous world. I am now a strong man who can even choose a woman other than Igarashi. I am a popular, sparkling, handsome man. I went into a back alley, walked for a while, and stopped in front of a vending machine near a love hotel. I bought a bottle of mineral water from the vending machine.


"What's wrong? Did you drink too much?"


Kirin-san peeked at me, looking somewhat worried. But there was a slight blush on her face and a twinkle in her eyes as if she was expecting something.


"No. I'm not drunk anymore. ...I'm rather tipsy. ...I feel like an idiot."


I gently untied Kirin's hand and covered my head with the mineral water. The feel of the cold water calmed me down.


"What? What are you doing? Are you taking a shower? Isn't it too soon to be in a love hotel?!"


I can see that Kirin-san is very confused by my odd behavior. Shaking my head like a dog, I flicks the water away and ruffles my hair.


"Um. I'm sorry. I mean...I didn't mean it like that."


"You didn't mean it like that...what? What are you talking about? I'm totally fine with it! I mean, we're right in front of the hotel! Hollywood-kun, you're not the kind of character that would just sit around here and take it easy, aren't you?"


"Well, I'm sorry. If I embrace you today with such evil feelings, I'll become a real piece of sh*t..."


I used Kirin-san as a target against Igarashi. That emptied the lees in my heart, but I would feel very sorry if I held Kirin-san in the course of such an act. I know that Kirin-san may be a "light" woman, but she still has her pride.


"Evil feelings...seriously? I've never seen someone like ...... you before...isn't that all a man needs as long as he gets laid?"


"I guess I have to have feelings for you. I've respected you so much after today that I can't hold you with the feelings I have now or anything."


For example, I had sex with you because I had a feeling for you after doing waywardly something. It would be fine if it was like that. But that one today was different.


"You mean that beautiful girl with the ashy brown hair earlier?"


"Did you notice it after all?"


"I noticed. She looked like she was shocked when she saw you kissing me. But I had never get kissed like that before. I was so excited..."


Kirin's lips pout a little. She stares straight at me in frustration.


"Hey, it doesn't matter. I told you that love is heartbreaking. That's why it's better to be light. I don't want to look like that girl. Hey, let's go. Let's make ourselves comfortable together."


Kirin-san leans on me bewitchingly and whispers. Like a witch, but somewhere deep in her voice, I couldn't help but think she sounded lonely.


"I'm sorry. ...Let's go home today. I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you. I'll pay for the cab..."


"No! I don't want to go home!!!!"


Kirin-san yelled at me. She was very angry, with her eyes raised.


"I just embarrassed you so much! I haven't been this excited in a long time! They took me off the ladder! I was rejected! I'm so hurt! I'm so embarrassed!"


"I'm sorry. I'll think of some way to apologize, but for now, let's go home..."


"I told you I don't want to! If you're going to apologize, Hollywood-kun, you should be embarrassed too! You should have appeased my feelings! I'm so embarrassed and you should know how I feel! Right now!!!!"


"Yes... that's absurd..."


"No! Do something really embarrassing right now!"


She started screaming like a child. It's so annoying. Where's the lightweight girl setting?


"What exactly do you want me to do?"


"Oh, no, no, that's what it is! Poor men are always asking, "What do you want to eat?", "What do you want to do?", "Tell me anything you want!" Don't ask me! I don't know either! Think for yourself! ! You want to appease me! Look! quickly! think! I don't care about anything, so please do something embarrassing and amuse me!"


Kirin-san stared at me with a miffed look on her face. She looked strangely cute.


"Embarrassing things...I understand. I'll do something really embarrassing. Yes."


Something that Kirin-san said reminded me of Igarashi when we were just dating in the previous world. I asked her, "Do you want something to eat?" but a girl's "anything" answer is difficult for a man. So I thought I'd do something good seriously.


"Really? Come on, come on! Hurry up and do something embarrassing...eh?!"


I picked up Kirin-san. It is what they called a princess hug.


"How do you like it? Isn't it embarrassing?"


"Eh? What? No, this! I'm the one who's embarrassed!"


"I'm so embarrassed. I'm sure it's painful for a guy to carry a princess in his arms."


I walked towards the Tokyo Tower while holding her in my arms.


"Kya! Wow! What's this! Whew! Hahaha. What's this? Hahaha! Hahaha!"


Kirin-san latches onto my neck and starts laughing.


"Stop it, I'm so embarrassed! Hahaha! It's so hard! I've never done anything like this before! Haha!"


Kirin-san was red in the face, but she sounded like she was having fun. Passersby looked at us with stunned faces. Kirin-san started humming a tune while flapping her legs. I hummed along with her.


"You're a bad person, Hollywood-kun. I'll never forget this embarrassing thing. What are you going to do about it?


"I'll do something even more embarrassing for you. You girls are supposed to overwrite your memories, right?"


"No, I don't. That's not true. There are some things you can't forget. They're the things that will hold you back in the future."


"So, this princess hug is going to drag you down in the future?"


"No, it won't. I'm sure... it will remain beautiful... I think it will give me courage. I think so."


Kirin-san hugged me tightly, brought her face close to mine, and kissed me on the cheek, just inches from my lips. This much fills me up. So very present and pleasant. We walk slowly, taking breaks. Then we reached Tokyo Tower, and I dropped Kirin-san off. By then, the sky was already starting to lighten.


"I never thought I would see the sky turning blue with a guy. I'm usually asleep at the hotel at that time."


"It's nice sometimes, isn't it?"


"Yes, it is. It's nice sometimes. Ufufu."


The sky was getting brighter and brighter with the Tokyo Tower, and it was so beautiful. A walking date like this might be nice.



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